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Stuart Hogg of Exeter Chiefs celebrates with Sam Hill
Exeter Chiefs can take a huge step towards the Heineken Champions Cup quarter-finals with a Pool 2 victory over Sale Sharks at Sandy Park on Sunday at 13:00, live on BT Sport and beIN SPORTS.
Sunday’s hosts edged past Sale last week in a 22-20 win at the AJ Bell Stadium and sit six points clear of Glasgow Warriors at the top of Pool 2.
Match facts
- Sale Sharks have not won against Premiership opposition in the Heineken Champions Cup in almost 10 years, losing their last five such matches with their last victory coming against Harlequins in 2009/10.
- Exeter have made just eight offloads in their three games so far this season, the fewest of any side. Sale, by contrast, have made 28.
- Exeter have missed more tackles (98) and have the worst tackle success rate (81%) in the competition this season.
- The Chiefs have the lowest scrum success rate (78%), and they are also one of just two sides (also Ospreys) yet to steal an opposition line out.
- Exeter’s four tries in the 20 minutes immediately after half-time is the most any side has managed to date. Sale, however, are one of four sides yet to concede a try during the third quarter.
- Sale’s goalkicking success rate of 55% is the lowest after three rounds.
- Exeter’s Jonny Hill has won the most line outs (20) to date.
- Sale’s Ben Curry and Exeter’s Dave Ewers are two of just four players to make 50+ tackles this season (53), while only Clermont’s Fritz Lee (6) has won more turnovers than Curry (5).
The all-English affair continues as @ExeterChiefs host @SaleSharksRugby aiming to remain unbeaten 🤝
Can their domestic rivals end their #HeinekenChampionsCup winning run? 🦈 pic.twitter.com/y6q6W4eOuK
— Heineken Champions Cup (@ChampionsCup) December 13, 2019
Exeter's Sam Simmonds scores the third try
Exeter Chiefs have moved 10 points clear of their nearest rivals in Heineken Champions Cup Pool 2 after a 35-10 win over Sale Sharks at Sandy Park on Sunday afternoon.
The visitors opened up with three points from AJ MacGinty on 18 minutes after Exeter were penalised for tackling a man without the ball close to their own line.
But Exeter would hit back in what was a nervy opening 40 minutes. A couple of penalties allowed Exeter to launch an attack inside the Sale 22 and put powerful phases together before Sam Simmonds eventually burrowed a way over the try line.
It took until the 51st minute for the next points and it came to the hosts who took over in the second period.
Luke Cowan-Dickie took a quick penalty and eventually play reached Joe Simmonds who found the gap in the line and scored at the posts.
Stop one Simmonds…there's another one in waiting 🎯
Simmonds brothers 14 – Sale Sharks 3, with @ExeterChiefs starting to take over at Sandy Park 💪#HeinekenChampionsCup pic.twitter.com/PDTTS9MGRi
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) December 15, 2019
The advantage was extended just before the hour mark when Exeter’s driving maul was just too strong as Sam Simmonds broke off the maul and dived over for his second of the afternoon.
The weather soon took a turn for the worst but in the torrential rain and hail, Sam James picked up a smart offload from Will Cliff and jinked between two Exeter men to score for the visitors and make it 24-10 before the players were briefly taken off the pitch.
When they returned, Exeter continued their dominance with two late tries from Ben Moon – on his 250th Exeter appearance – and Jack Nowell to wrap up a bonus point win in Pool 2.
Exeter will travel to face Glasgow Warriors in Round 5 while Sale Sharks will take on La Rochelle.
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